Vicksburg

A Civil War stronghold on the bluffs above the Mississippi. The national military park preserves siege trenches and the ironclad USS Cairo, and the historic downtown has a museum marking where Coca-Cola was first bottled.

Vicksburg sits on high bluffs where the Mississippi meets the Yazoo River in western Mississippi. It has a population of about 20,000 and lies about 70 km from the state capital, Jackson. Its commanding position over the river earned it the nickname “Gibraltar of the South” during the Civil War. After Grant laid siege to the city for 47 days, it fell on July 4, 1863, giving the Union full control of the Mississippi. Lincoln called it “the key to victory.”

The main sights are spread across the city. The Vicksburg National Military Park, northeast of downtown, is the highlight. A 16-mile loop road passes more than a thousand monuments and trenches, the Illinois Memorial and the ironclad USS Cairo. In the historic district along Washington Street, you can visit the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum, where Coca-Cola was first bottled in 1894, and the Old Court House Museum. Along the Levee Street floodwall are riverfront murals, along with the Lower Mississippi River Museum and Catfish Alley Art Park. South and within the city are antebellum mansions such as McRaven and Anchuca, many of which now operate as inns. About 40 km south lies Grand Gulf Military State Park.

Seasons: March–May and October–November are the most comfortable. June–September is hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms. In spring, the Pilgrimage tours of antebellum homes are a common attraction.

Getting there: The nearest airport is Jackson airport, about 45 minutes' drive away. Interstate 20 runs through the city. There is little public transit, so a car is essential. Plan to stay 1–2 days. The city is often combined with Natchez, about 1.5 hours to the south, or Jackson, as a stop on a self-drive along the Great River Road.

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